The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] tree adapted to a subtropical (moderate chill) winter climate. This new variety, named ‘GulfAtlas’, produces highly colored, good eating quality, cling-stone and non-melting flesh fruit for fresh market in mid-June at Attapulgus, Ga. Contrast is made to ‘Gulfcrimson’ peach (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,174), a standard variety, for reliable description. ‘GulfAtlas’ is a promising candidate for commercial success in that it has large, attractive red skin, sweet fruit that ripens evenly.
‘GulfAtlas’ peach tree (genotype) originated in a cultivated area of the fruit breeding program at the University of Georgia, located at Attapulgus, Ga. where it was tested. The seed parent was Flavorcrest (unpatented) and the pollen parent was FL98-10C (unpatented, and of complex origin). ‘GulfAtlas’ was selected in 2003 because it exhibited yellow, non-melting flesh, in a large fruit with a bright red skin. It was designated and tested as AP03-22. It was asexually propagated by budding onto ‘Flordaguard’ (unpatented) seedling rootstock (for rootknot nematode control) and determined to have unique tree and fruit characteristics making it worthy for commercial fresh fruit production. Trees were budded at the USDA-ARS, SE Fruit and Nut Research Laboratory in Byron, Ga. and transplanted to the evaluation site at the University of Georgia Research and Extension Center in Attapulgus, Ga. There are no known effects of this standard rootstock on this scion cultivar. Asexually propagated plants remained true to the original tree and all characteristics of the tree and the fruit have transmitted for 2 generations. ‘GulfAtlas’ differs from its seed parent, ‘Flavorcrest’, in that ‘Flavorcrest’ requires approximately 750 chill hours and ‘GulfAtlas’ requires 400, ripens ca. 100 days from bloom and ‘GulfAtlas’ requires ca. 120, has melting flesh and ‘GulfAtlas’ is non-melting and is freestone and ‘GulfAtlas’ is clingstone. ‘GulfAtlas’ differs from its pollen parent, ‘FL98-10C’, in that ‘FL98-10C’ requires less chilling , approximately 250 chill hours and ripens in a shorter time, approximately 92 days, from bloom.